Southern California -- this just in

Former L.A. County deputy sentenced in DUI crash

September 30, 2009 | 2:50
pm

A former veteran deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was sentenced today to six months in jail and three years of informal probation for injuring two people when he crashed his department-issued sport utility vehicle into their car a year ago while under the influence of alcohol, said officials with the Orange County district attorney's office.

Robert A. Moran, 43, of Buena Park has almost already completed the jail term under house arrest. He was ordered to complete a three-month first-offender program and face a Mothers Against Drunk Driving panel, according to a statement from the district attorney's office. In such panels, offenders pay MADD a fee to hear victims or relatives of victims of drunk driving crashes relate their stories.

Moran pleaded no contest Feb. 27 to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence, causing injury and one misdemeanor count of driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% or more causing injury, according to the statement.

Moran was driving his Chevrolet Blazer south on Beach Boulevard in Stanton about 5:30 a.m. June 29, 2008, when he crashed into a sedan near Garden Grove Boulevard, district attorney officials said. The sedan's 33-year-old driver and his 20-year-old female passenger were knocked unconscious and taken to a hospital. At the time of the crash, the sedan's driver was in possession of and tested positive for methamphetamine. He also tested positive for sedatives and opiates, the statement said.

His case is under review, said Keith Bogardus, an Orange County deputy district attorney. His name and the name of his passenger were not released because the investigation is ongoing.